Current Population Survey,
May 1997: Work Schedules Supplement

ATTACHMENT 3
Overview

May 1997 Work Schedules Supplement

General

Census Bureau staff conducted the May 1997 Work Schedules Survey as a supplement to that month's Current Population Survey (CPS). The CPS is a monthly labor force survey conducted in approximately 57,000 interviewed households across the Nation. Attachment 7 contains a copy of the labor force questions asked each month as part of the basic CPS questions. Attachment 9 is a copy of the May 1997 Work Schedules questionnaire.

Attachment 2 comprises a description of the CPS entitled "Overview--Current Population Survey." A description of the May 1997 Work Schedules Survey follows.

Data Collection

Census Bureau staff conducted interviews during the period of May 18-24, 1997. We asked the work schedules items of persons 15 years old or older that are currently employed. Interviewers received a 1 1/2-hour home study that contained questions on the basic labor force questions, item-by-item instructions for the supplement, supplement exercises, and a practice interview.

Data Processing

The data processing of these items involved a consistency edit to check for the correct skip pattern. Also a recode was created to provide a variable for type of shift worked (PRSHFTWK).

The values and universes for each variable are defined in the supplement record layout found in Attachment 8.

May 1997 CPS/Work Schedules Computer File

CPS Labor Force Data

The May 1997 CPS file contains 135,116 records. The first 915 characters contain the labor force data for each record. Attachment 7 contains the CPS Basic Items Record Layout, which includes the variable name, character size, location on the record, universe, and the possible values of each basic CPS variable included on the file.

The variable PRPERTYP (located in positions 161-162 on the CPS Basic Items Record Layout) determines the type of person as follows:

PRPERTYP

1 = Child household member (0-14 years old)
2 = Adult civilian household member (15+ years old)
3 = Adult Armed Forces household member (15+ years old)

The variable HRINTSTA (located in positions 0057:0058 on the CPS Basic Items Record Layout determines the interview status of the household:

HRINTSTA

1 = Interview

2 = Type A Noninterview (These records represent households that were eligible for the October 1996 CPS interview, but were not interviewed because no one was home, household members were temporarily absent, etc.)

3 = Type B Noninterview (These records represent sample addresses determined to be ineligible for the CPS by virtue of being vacant, demolished, nonresidential, etc.)

4 = Type C Noninterview (See explanation for Type B above.)

By combining the values of PRPERTYP (1-3) and HRINTSTA (2-4), the number of records can be determined.

Value Description Unweighted Counts
PRPERTYP
1 Child 27,574
2 Adult civilian, 15+ 94,173
3 Adult, Armed Forces 441
HRINTSTA
2 Type A Noninterview 3,340
3 Type B Noninterview 9,156
4 Type C Noninterview 432

May 1997 Work Schedules Supplement Data

The May supplement data are in locations 815-915. (See Attachment 8)

Tallying the May 1997 Work Schedules Supplement File

The May 1997 supplement universe includes the full CPS sample comprised of all persons 15 years old or older who are currently employed.

Weighting

There is a standardized supplement weight associated with the May 1997 Work Schedules Supplement.

Attachment 14 is a tally listing of unweighted counts from selected supplement items. Use these totals to ensure that the file is being accessed properly.

Data Contact

For questions regarding the May 1997 Work Schedules data, call Bill Deming on (202) 606-6378.

Table of Contents

Source: U.S. Census Bureau